Ingot tongs



Sept. 4, 1945. F. PEYER 2,384,396

INGOT TONGS Filed Nov. 23, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 4, 1945'. F PEYER 2,384,396

INGOT TONGS Filed Nov. 23, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 4, 1945.

INGOT Tones Filed Nov. 23, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet} Emle 6].

F. PEYER 2,384, 6

Sept. 4, 1945. I PEYER 2,384,396

INGOT TONGS Filed Nov. 23, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 "I o I Patented Sept. 4, 1945 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE INGOT TONGS Frank Peyer, Bethlehem, Pa. Application November 23, 1944, Serial No. 564,741

3 Claims.

My invention relates in general to apparatus for lifting heavy objects; and more particularly improved automatic tongs for manipulating steel ingots and the like.

The large tongs employed in steel plants for handling heavy hot blooms and ingots usually their jaws apart, which locking means may be either manually or automatically operated. Each type has its special advantages and disad- One object of my invention, therefore, is to provide gripping means which are automatic in action yet flexibly controlled.

Another object is to provide tongs with easily manipulated locking and unlocking means.

Still another object is to provide ingot tongs which are very simple, their purpose.

Other objects and purposes of my invention will appear hereinafter in this specification and in the appended claims.

Having thus explained briefly certain advantages of my invention, I shall of the tongs of tongs adapted for shown in Fig. 1 but the latching hook;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5, but

showing the hanging hook released and locking.

aimost completed;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to Figs. 5 and bottom spuds 5.

6. with the hanging-hook again held after unlocking the tongs.

Fig. 8 is a partial line 88 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the latching hook;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of said latching hook;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the hinge plates on said latching hook;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the latching lever;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of said latching lever; Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the hanging hook; and

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of tongs adapted for grasping a rectangular ingot.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, it will be noted that the grasping mechanism of this device has a simple lever-and-scissors action somewhat resembling conventional ice-tongs. The pair of male and female tongs l and 2, shaped as in Fig. 3 to hold a round ingot, or as in Fig. 15 to hold a rectangular one, are adapted to on the pin 3 and grasp the ingot 4 in the pointed The diagonal male and female links 6 and l are pivotally connected by pins 8 and 9 to the female and male tongs 2 and I, respectively, and are connected together at the top by the pin ill to the shackle ll. Said tongs and links consist of steel plates cut to the desired contour, and held in properly spaced relation by welded connecting plates l2 and blocks I 3. The

sectional view taken on the lower pivot-pin 3. From the upper pivot-pin i0 is suspended the hanging hook is, shown in Fig.

with the standing hook IT. in female link 1 a hingle-plate 24 secured as shown in Fig. 11 on each side, to whic on pin 25 is pivoted the latching lever 26 of Figs 12 and 13 smoothly iounded and otherwise adapted to glide easily over the standing hook ll.

In operation. the latching hook 23 is normally engaged with the cross-bar H! to hold back the hanging hook l8. When the device is lowered as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, thereby pushing up the latching hook 23 and releasing the hanging hook IS. Th hanging hook l8 will then swing into engagement with the standing hook H to lock the tongs open.

By lowering the tongs to open them still wider, the hanging hook II will be deviated by the projecting portion III in contact with the standing hook H, as shown in Fig. 7, until the latching hook 23 is tripped and again holds back the hanging hook I8. The tongs can then be used to grasp the ingot or other object in the usual manner.

It will be noted especially that the locking and unlocking operations are at all times subject to the will of the crancman, depending only upon the distance the tongs are lowered after engaging the object.

Although I have described my invention hereinabove in considerable detail, I do not wish to b limited narrowly to the exact and specific details which I have shown and described, but I may use also such substitutions, modifications, or equivalents thereof as are embraced within the scope and spirit of the invention or pointed out in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A lifting device comprising, in combination, suspension means, a pair of tongs pivoted together, diagonal links connecting the suspension means with the tongs, a fixed hook positioned upright on one member of the pair of tongs, a

latching hook pivoted to one of the diagonal links, a swinging hook pivoted to the suspension means engageable with the upright hook and having an inclined face adapted to permit the standing hook to divert it into engagement with the latching hook, and alatching lever adapted to slide over the fixed hook to release the swinging hook.

2. A lifting device comprising, in combination, a pair of tongs adapted to pivot together and grasp the object to be lifted, diagonal links pivotally connected to said tongs, suspension means pivotally connecting said diagonal links, a standing hook positioned centrally upright on one member of the pair of tongs, a hanging hook adapted for locking engagement with the standing hook pivoted to the suspension means and provided with a cross-bar, a latching hook adapted to engage the cross-bar pivoted to one of the diagonal links, and a latching lever pivoted to the latching hook adapted to release the crossbar on contact with the standing hook.

3. A lifting device comprising, in combination, a suspension shackle, male and female tongs pivoted together, female and male links pivoted to the respective tongs and the suspension shackle, an upright hook on the male tong, a hook swinging from the suspension shackle engageable with the upright hook, a latching hook pivoted to the female link engageable with the swinging hook, and a lever pivoted to the latching lever adapted to release the latching hook when lifted by the upright hook.

FRANK PEYER. 

